10 Episodes That Turned Good TV Shows Into Classics

10. Curb Your Enthusiasm - "The Doll"

The first of two Larry David creations on this list, Curb Your Enthusiasm is deservedly considered by many as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, with fans eagerly awaiting a ninth season of the gloriously misanthropic David’s ongoing crusade against social conventions. Inevitably, Curb was always going to spend it’s formative years in the shadow of Seinfeld, and while the first season had its moments, the humour was slow-burning and perhaps too focused on the Larry/Cheryl relationship - which despite being one of the more true-to-life sitcom marriages, doesn’t always bring the belly laughs.

However, in the middle of the second season came The Doll, which confirmed that the show had developed its own comedic identity. As is typical of the series, no one is safe from Larry’s meddling - least of all the little girl whose favourite doll gets a haircut courtesy of our well-intentioned protagonist. The daughter realises the hair won’t grow back and the episode builds in vintage Curb fashion to a foul-mouthed rant from Susie, whose actress Susie Essman delivers one of her usual swearing masterclasses.

Curb is unashamedly a formulaic show - Larry gets into a misunderstanding, tries his best to get his way out of it and usually fails spectacularly. But it’s a formula that has provided some timeless comedy over the years, and The Doll is a prime example of this.